Tottenham Parish, located only five miles northeast of
London, is surrounded clockwise by the early parishes of Edmonton, Middlesex to the north, Leyton, Essex and Walthamstow, Essex (across the River Lea) to the southeast; Stoke Newington, Middlesex to the south; Hornsey, Middlesex to the southwest; and Friern Barnet, Middlesex (across New River) to the northwest. According to Lewis (1831), Tottenham is comprised of: (1)

"...High-Cross, Lower, Middle, and Wood-Green wards... written
in Domesday-book Toteham, and now frequently called Tottenham High Cross... on the line of road from London to Cambridge... Near Tottenham Green, a cross has stood-for many years: the present structure, superseding
the original one of wood, is an octangular brick column, erected,
in 1600, by Dean Wood... entrance of Page Green, on the east side of the high
road... Tottenham is within the jurisdiction of a court of requests held at Enfield, for the recovery of debts under 40s. The regulation of the parish is vested in two churchwardens, four overseers, and a constable, who is also the sexton, assisted by two surveyors and an engineer..."

"Tottenham, Toteham, lies between Stamford Hill and Edmonton, on the Ware and Hertford road... The population of the parish in 1871 was 22,809 and includes the ecclesiastical districts of Holy Trinity, Tottenham Green, St Paul's Park Lane, St Ann's Hanger Lane and St Michael's Wood Green. The River Lea forms its eastern boundary, the other side of the river being Essex. The western boundary is given by the New River.From the original Tottenham manor three manors are created each bearing the name of its founder. Bruce Manor was assigned to Robert de Brus and finally to Robert the Bruce of Scottish history. When Robert became King of Scotland, Edward I at once seized his English Estates. Bruce Castle now occupies the site of the manor. The manor of Baliol was seized by Edward I when John Baliol, King of Scotland, renounced feudal homage. In 1337 it was given to William DANBENEY by Edward III and became known as Danbeney's Manor. Hastings manor descended to Lawrence de HASTINGS who became the heir to the earldom of Pembroke and the manor was given the name Pembroke. The manors were again reunited when John GEDENEY, alderman of London became the owner...

"One of the famous sites in the parish of Tottenham is The Seven Sisters which were 7 elm tree growing in a circle by the roadside of Page Green, planted, according to tradition, by seven sisters when the were about to separate. Inside the circle was an old walnut tree. All Hallows church stands about half a mile west of the high road to the rear of Bruch [Bruce] Castle. the church was given by David King of Scotland to the canons of the church of the Holy Trinity in London which was founded by his sister Queen Matilda. The existing church is not the original one and has been much patched and altered at various times. The north aisle which is of brick was build in 1816 while the tower is of flint and stone appear much older.The porch is of brick and chancery, vestry and organ chamber are of bright red brick. The Holy Trinity church on the north side of Tottenham green was erected around 1828 and is a chapel like brick building with buttresses and pinnacles. The church of St Paul, Park Lane is similarly a poor example of modern architecture. St Anns church, Hanger Lane (hanger meaning a meadow or enclosure by a wood) is a much better example. St Michael's Wood Green was erected in 1865 with the chancel, tower and spire were added in 1874... " [This source also reports that parish registers are extant back to 1558]

Drapers Company rolls include a John GEDENEY, living in 1408, will 1449; a William GIDNEY apprenticed in 1555; and a Thomas GEDENEY freed in 1591, and living in 1604. (Boyd's Register, extracted by Combs &c. researcher Denise Mortorff. See
Drapers Company) One John GEDNEY (probably the same?) was Lord Mayor of London in 1427 (reign of Henry VI) according to
Past Lord Mayors of London, London Corporation; and from Index to The Merchant Class of Medieval London by Sylvia L Thrupp, 1948. Medieval Merchants of London (p. 284), is the entry: "John GEDNEY, Alderman of London, appears on Edmonton jury list, owned three manors."

PRO records include reference to a fourth manor in the parish of Tottenham, by the name of Ducketts, their index including the following entries:

ibid. C 1/485/21 John CAMPOUCHE. v. Alexander COLYNS, master of the hospital of St. Bartholomew, Smithfield.: A gatehouse, other buildings, and land belonging to the manor of Ducketts in Tottenham, held of the said hospital by a lease bought of John MELSON and Johan, his...[wife? incomplete entry]" (ibid.)

The PRO index also includes entries from the late 1800s that reference "Manor of Tottenham Pembrokes Bruces Dawlines & Mockings (MAF 9/186(2)), and nothing more is known of Ducketts at this time, but according to the source, "Court Rolls of the Manor of Tottenham, 23 Henry VIII to 1 Henry VI (1531-1546)," translated from Middle English and prepared for publication by I. G. Murray, London, Borough of Haringey, Libraries, Museum and Arts Service, London, 1975), a century before the reign of Elizabeth (pre-1458?), a fourth manor, Mockings, was added to the original three. This same source also states that the last GEDNEY was John who died in 1512 with no direct heirs, resulting in the manors reverting to the Crown. In 1514, King Henry VIII gave the manor of Tottenham to Sir William COMPTON, groom of bedchambers, from whose heirs the manor went by purchase to Hugh Lord Colerain in 1749. Although we do not yet have specific dates for the following set of records, the first listed were apparently 13th century (presumably shortly after the sale to GEDNEY by LEGETT of Mockings):

22 Jun 1377 - 17 Nov 1558 [at some time between these dates]. C 1/12/31. "Edward DOYLE and Anne his wife. v. Alderman John GEDNEY, John FRAY, baron of the Exchequer, and other feoffees of Thomas LEGET, brother of the said Anne.: Manor of Tottenham, and lands, &c. in Tottenham, Edmonton (Emulton), and Hornsey (Haryngey).: Middle..." (Combs &c. Extractions from the PRO Catalogue, C 1 Series, Court of Chancery: Six Clerks Office: Early Proceedings, Richard II to Philip and Mary - record not yet acquired)

ibid. C 1/68/50. "John GEDENEY, citizen and alderman of London. v. John COMBE, of London, sergeant, who took estate for petitioner.: Land called 'Mokkynges' in Tottenham, sold to complainant by Thomas LEGET.: (Middlesex)." (ibid.) [Search Word: MOCKINGS]

ibid. C 1/321/10 George HENYNGHAM v. John TATE, of London, gentleman.: Action by Defendant for rent of messuages and land in Tottenham and [Edelm]elton, late of John CROKE, alderman of London, leased to complainant without good title, Defendant's wife, in right of whom he..." (Edmonton) (ibid.)

John COMBE has not yet been identified, but according to the Visitations of Essex, 1558, Simon ELRYNGTON (a.k.a. Seymond ERLINGTON), chief butler to Edward VI (28 Jan 1547 - 6 Jul 1553) was the son of Edward or Rowland ERLINGTON of Theydon Bois, Essex, and Agnes COMBES, daughter of Edward COMBES. Simon was buried in
St. Peter's Cornhill, London; having married Alice MIDDLETON, daughter of John MIDDLETON and sister and heir of Thomas MIDDLETON. Following the death of Simon, she married second, Sir Giles ALLINGTON. (See also Shoreditch, Middlesex for more information).

Tottenham's manorial records are extant from 1318 to at least 1592 (2), and although Combes appear in the records of this manor by no later than 1546, we have as yet been able to review the contents of the rolls of 1531 to 1546 (published source), from which one record has been extracted:

To this court has come (blank) and Joan his wife who lately was
wife of Thomas NEWMAN deceased and prays to be admitted to 7 acres
of land which the said Joan has as the surrender of the said Thomas
NEWMAN for the term of her life as more fully appears in the rolls
of a court held there in the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel
in the 31st year of the reign of King Henry the Eighth [ca 1540].
To whom the lord by his steward has granted seisin therein to
have and to hold the said 7 acres of land to the said (blank)
and Joan his wife for the term of the life of the said Joan by
the rod at the will of the lord according to the custom of the
manor for rents and services therein formerly due and by right
accustomed. And they have done fealty and paid the fine as appears
in the head.

The homage present that John COMBES lies sick to death
(and) surrendered into the hands of the lord by the hands of John
PYTCHER and Thomas PATE tenants of the lord, one tenement with
appurtenances lying next to the park of the lord to the use and
behoof of Christine COMBES for the term of her life, the
remainder therein after her death to John COMBES Thomas COMBES
and Robert COMBES sons of the said John COMBES and
the heirs of John COMBES forever. And to this court the
same Christine in her own person comes and prays to be
admitted to the premises. To whom the lord by his steward has
granted seisin therein to have and to hold the said tenement with
appurtenences aforesaid to the said Christine for the term
of her life by the rod at the will of the lord according to the
custom of the manor for rents and services therein formerly due
and by right accustomed. And she has done fealty and paid a fine
as appears in the hand, and is admitted therein as tenant. Fine
20d (Extracted By Combs Researchers Denise Mortorff and Joe Kendalll
from "Court Rolls of the Manor of Tottenham, 23 Henry VIII to 1 Henry VI (1531-1546)," translated from Middle English and prepared for publication by I. G. Murray, London, Borough of Haringey, Libraries, Museum and Arts Service, London, 1975) Search
Words: BONNER, FRYER, PITCHER, WHEELER, VIRTUE, MORRIS, BEAVIS

Robert may, of course, have been the son of John COMBES of the 1540-6 Tottenham record.
See also the Robert COMBE of the Drapers (apprenticed in 1558, freed in 1567 who is not the above, but naming patterns?) Nothing more has been located yet re any of John's three sons, nor is it known if there were daughters; however, see also 1564 below.

Was Margaret a daughter of the above John and Christine COMBES? This is the only early Combes marriage located in this source.

23 Sep 1589 William ANDROWES Esq. of Tottenham, Middlesex conveys to Thomas ARCHDALE, citizen and draper of London, and to Barbara ARCHDALE "certain property at Tottenham, referring to Roger ANDROWES, grandfather, and John
ANDROWES, father of the said William. (Memoirs of the Archdales, provided by Archdale researcher Peter Archdale & Claus Rolls, 31 Eliz: Part 29, Waters Genealogical Gleanings, provided by Combs-Archdale researcher Patricia Osborn Orton)

Thomas ARCHDALE married (1) Mary CLIFTON; and (2) Blith WILFRED (by whom no issue). His daughter, Barbara (later wife of William PALMER) refers to the above property in
her 1650 will (See next).

13 Sep 1650 - 10 Jun 1651 The Will
of Barbara PALMER of Onelepe [Wanlip] in the Co. of
Leicester,
widow, includes a bequest to her son, John, of "a
messuage in or near Page Green in the parish of Tottenham,
Middlesex " (Grey, 126, New England Historical and
Genealogical Register, 1889)

This is apparently (not yet fully researched) the property of the 1589 deed above. According to another source, Martin ARCHDALE, Barbara's maternal uncle, held Elmstead Farm in Bromley,
Kent,
which he left to his son Robert a minor, and eventually Barbara's
son, John PALMER, held the farm & lived there till the Commonwealth.
(Information of B.F. Davis 6 August 1934, (Correspondence #2 from Archivist, Drapers
Company to Combs Researcher Denise Mortorff, dated 16 Apr 1998)

As noted above, only one Combs marriage has been located in Tottenham (christenings and burials not yet checked). The following are marriages of selected Combs-associated surnames:

"In 1660, George LEE, citizen and grosser (i.e., wholesaler)
of London appointed his 'brother' George UNDERWOOD to go
to Virginia as attorney to collect all debts and dues remaining
in the hands of his brother, William LEE, or of Christopher
HARRIS." (W&M 1st Series, XXIV, 47) (Genealogies of Virginia
Families, Vol. III, p. 853)

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